In the last decade, online sales have grown substantially both in the mainstream and adult markets. More consumers are not only buying all types of products online, but also genuinely embracing the convenience of online shopping. Not surprisingly, this has led drop-shipping to become one of the fastest-growing segments of the business.
What’s drop shipping, you ask? It is a method of retail fulfillment where instead of keeping products physically in stock, a store purchases items from a third party and has them shipped directly to the customer. This is an ideal option for businesses that want to expand into retail without the added costs of maintaining an inventory or opening a warehouse.
Work with a drop-ship distributor who has a large product selection, works with many manufacturers, and stocks multiple categories of product, including those that complement and cross over.
How do you know if drop shipping is right for your business? Let’s look at some important points to consider:
Who is drop shipping for?
The typical drop-ship customer is an online retailer, whether they sell via their own website or a reselling platform like Amazon. Home party and subscription box businesses also may use drop shipping to send product directly to their customers without having to maintain inventory, and even traditional brick-and-mortar stores often use drop shipping to special order items for shoppers.
What are the benefits of working with a drop-ship service?
There are many benefits to working with a knowledgeable wholesale distributor that offers drop shipping:
1. It is a great way to run a business without having to deal with the logistics and expenses associated with renting, stocking and staffing a warehouse.
2. It can further reduce overhead by allowing you to access all the products you need from one place.
3. It allows you to feature products from companies that do not sell direct, as well as gives you access to the distributor’s vast selection of products from many manufacturers.
4. An effective drop-shipper can act as a true one-stop-shop for your entire fulfillment needs, including recommendations and hands-on account management from experts who understand the market.
Honey's Place is one of the industry’s drop-ship experts and one of the only distributors that carries product from every category that an adult or lingerie boutique could need: adult toys, games, novelties, lubricants, lotions, oils, CBD products, lingerie, apparel and more. As with any successful drop-ship business, our goal is to make the entire process — everything from setting up an account to placing orders with no minimums — easy and reliable.
How do I find a good drop-shipper?
When looking for a reputable drop shipper, find a wholesale distributor that has been doing it for years. You will directly benefit from their experience and knowledge; they know all the pitfalls and can anticipate hurdles, so they can help guide you along the way. Work with a drop-ship distributor who has a large product selection, works with many manufacturers, and stocks multiple categories of product, including those that complement and cross over.
Your preferred drop-shipper should stock not just the mainstay brands, but also the unique items and soon-to-trend products that are on the rise. And fulfillment rate will be key – make sure to ask what the drop-shipper’s average fill rate is to make sure your customers won’t be left in the lurch. At Honey’s Place, most of our orders are shipped same day to limit wait times, and our automated system can alert customers of when backordered items are finally in stock and available to order.
We’ve worked to implement technology and tools to make the process faster and easier for customers, including automated services, real-time reporting, data feeds and more. When shopping for a drop-shipper, don’t be afraid to ask about automation and technology along with the rest of your questions and, if something isn’t clear, ask for clarification – you’ll want them to be able to communicate well and respond to your inquiries with knowledge and care, because that’s the key to working with a drop-shipper who’ll help you build your business with confidence!
Bonnie Feingold is the president and CEO of adult products distributor Honey’s Place.
